


Full Circle

by Keldae



Series: Interludes [2]
Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Post-Umbara, Traitor Arc, mention of Theron Shan/Female Jedi Knight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-11 21:13:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16860412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Keldae/pseuds/Keldae
Summary: The Alliance Commander has an additional concern after Theron's apparent betrayal. She turns to a tradition of the Shan dynasty for a solution.





	Full Circle

Even with Vaylin’s defeat and the neutralizing of Zakuul, the Force had not led Satele Shan back to the Jedi Order. She had lingered on Coruscant for a time to aid in the relief efforts after the Fleet’s attack, and Jace had tried to convince her to stay around- him, the Chancellor, and most of the surviving Council. But her call led her away from the Republic after only a few months and back into the wider galaxy.

Now she lingered on Dantooine, with Darth Marr for company as per usual. The quietness of the planet was peaceful and calm, even with the old echoes of the Enclave ruins a few kilometres away. In the shadow of her old ship, Satele sat cross-legged in the grass, the weather too pleasant to bother with rebuilding her campfire. After a lifetime of service to the Order, this retirement was peaceful.

The peace was broken by the whine of a ship entering the atmosphere. Satele looked up and frowned when she saw a sleek vessel break through the clouds, making straight for her location. The ship looked to have been Imperial in origin, a little old but well maintained. The former Grand Master rose to her feet as the ship landed near her, far too close to be a coincidence. Who would have found her out here, much less have come hunting?

The ramp descended and a man descended to the planet’s surface. He was older, perhaps Satele’s age, with short grey hair and a long dark jacket. His Force presence felt like Theron’s in that he evidently knew how to shield himself from a probe despite not being Force sensitive. As he approached, a bundle held securely in his arms, Satele recognized his face and felt herself pale.  _Legate. Cipher Nine. Alliance Spymaster._ Whatever title he was here under, Reanden Taerich was probably bad news. Satele felt herself tense as the old (supposedly retired) agent approached her. “Agent Taerich,” she finally said when he was within earshot.

“Master Shan.” That smooth Imperial accent still flowed off his voice like silk. “You’re not an easy woman to find.”

“Apparently still too easy for some,” Satele acknowledged as she clasped her hands in front of her and tried not to wish for the lightsaber on her ship. “What does Alliance Intelligence want from me?”

“The usual, as I’m sure you can expect. Your aid with the Force enclave, your knowledge of Republic and Jedi wartime protocols that our people don’t already have, your son’s location.” Reanden shifted his bundle in his arms- and now Satele could feel a tendril of the Force coming from the spy’s burden. “But I’m not here for Alliance Intelligence- I’m here on behalf of the Commander.”

“Ah.” Satele tore her gaze from the clearly sentient bundle Reanden carried as the blanket moved, and looked back at the old agent. “And what does your daughter want? If I had any knowledge of where Theron is or what he’s doing, I would have given it to the Alliance already.”

“What does my daughter want? A galaxy at peace, a damn vacation, her husband back, five years of her life restored… shall I continue the list?” Reanden shifted his grip on the blankets he carried. “She sent a message for you, and a job if you’ll take it.”

“What-” Satele’s voice died in her mouth as Reanden turned the bundle around and let her see what he carried. Auburn hair, hazel eyes, a tiny furrow on his forehead that looked like his father… a young, vibrant presence in the Force that felt like his mother. “… Their son.”

“Daenril Shan,” Reanden confirmed, for the first time sounding old and weary as he adjusted his hold on his grandson. “My daughter’s only known weakness, aside from the brothers and father who can defend themselves. She-  _we_  fear that if he stays on Odessen, he’ll be put into more danger.”

“Is Odessen not the most secure place in the galaxy?” Satele found her gaze drifting back to the baby. “Why move him from somewhere he’s under constant guard?”

“Because there’s a traitor in the base, and we still haven’t identified them.” Reanden quickly spoke again when Satele opened her mouth. “Theron might have been able to fool those who don’t know him well, but he can’t pull that kind of stunt on someone I love and expect me to not look into it. Treason and trying to kill his wife isn’t his style… reckless, idiotic heroism is. I feel like he’s doing something particularly idiotic to find whoever tried to kill my daughter on Iokath.” He sighed and adjusted Daenril in his arms as the child looked around. “And if I’m wrong… Theron set up most of the security systems in the base. I’ve scrambled most of them, but if he’s any good at his job, he’d have left backdoor accesses that I haven’t found.”

“And your daughter wants her son removed from potential danger,” Satele finished. “Why not on Zakuul, unless she fears Arcann turning on her?”

“Less a fear of betrayal from Arcann or his people- which I like to think he’s smart enough to recognise will be the end of him if he tries it- and more a fear that if Theron does wish harm on her or their son, Zakuul will be the first place he’ll look after Odessen.” Reanden offered a small, apologetic shrug. “You, conversely, are the second last person he would think to find his child with.”

“Second last?” Satele raised an eyebrow.

“Commander Malcom being the last possible guess, for obvious reasons. But he’s too visible to get away with having a child hiding with him.” The old agent paused. “Xaja’s still quite annoyed with him for the entire Iokath incident, but that’s beside the point.”

Satele felt a tight smile tug at her lips as she studied the baby. Her  _grandson_ … “How long does she want me to care for her son?”

“For the moment, at least until it’s safe for her to have him back. Xaja won’t risk her son, not with this situation being as it is.” Reanden gently bounced the baby as Daenril made a small whimper. “Shhh, buddy. She’s too afraid of someone attacking him to come after her, or some vigilante Alliance loyalist targeting him to try and force Theron out. I can’t say I blame her.”

“No, I can’t either.” Satele finally approached the old agent and held her hands out. “Hello, Daenril,” she softly said as the baby curiously looked at her. She could feel a clumsy smack at her mental shields as the child tried to determine who or what she was. “You look so much like your father…” Really, if it hadn’t been for the hair colour, she would have thought that this was one of Theron’s holoimages as a baby that Master Zho had taken of him.

Daenril looked back up at Reanden and flailed a hand at him. The old cipher smiled, and Satele pretended to not see the sadness in his eyes. “It’s okay, buddy. This is your Grandma Satele. She’s going to look after you for a bit while your mum fights the bad guys… and kicks your dad’s ass until he gains some sense.” That last bit was added in a mutter as he handed the baby over to the Jedi’s waiting hands.

The baby immediately fussed as he found himself in a strange pair of arms and looked back at his grandfather in confusion. “Shhh, little one,” Satele heard herself coo as she cradled the child and ran her fingers through his auburn locks. “Grandma has you… that’s not a title I had ever thought I would have.” She opened her mind up to the Force and let Daenril turn back to face her, his flail of the Force brushing against her consciousness. In that moment, she could feel his childish emotions, too young to verbalize, but no less potent- his confusion, his fear, the curiosity that lingered underneath. He wanted something- no, a few somethings, and those all had impressions in his mind that Satele could recognize. Xaja’s unmistakable presence was strong indeed upon her son; but Daenril could recall the feeling of his father just as clearly as he could his mother, and wanted both of his parents. There were more- Lana Beniko’s signature was there, as were Agent Taerich’s, Captain Korin’s, and Darth Imperius’- Satele could recognize the echoes of their presences, the signatures still burned into her memory from Yavin IV. A few more strange feelings that Satele couldn’t recognize, but attributed to Zakuulan members of Xaja’s trusted inner circle. Daenril wanted them all, but none more right then than Theron Shan and Xaja Taerich, and he didn’t understand why he could only feel his grandfather- and why Reanden felt so sad.

“Hush, dearest one. You’re safe with me. Grandma’s not going to let anyone hurt you.” Satele smiled and let Daenril feel her Force-signature, knowing she was imprinting on him too, and determined to let the child feel safe and protected and…  _loved?_ Yes- that feeling in her chest was one she hadn’t let herself feel since the one moment she’d held Theron after his birth. It was like the Force knew how much she’d regretted giving her son up and was giving her a second chance. _I’m not going to make the same mistake that I made with your father when I kept him at arm’s length, little one. You… I can love you._ She stayed still as Daenril curiously pressed his little hands against her face, the studious little frown on his face (oh, so much like Theron!) intensifying as he tried to determine who exactly she was, then dissolving in a giggle as he touched her mouth and got a kiss against his fingers. Satele clearly passed inspection when the child snuggled up and rested his cheek against her shoulder in a way that made her heart skip a beat, then waved one of his hands back at Reanden and squealed excitedly.

Reanden smiled, and if he was heartbroken by what he was doing by leaving his grandson behind, he hid it well. “Yes, Grandma Satele’s nice, isn’t she? You’re in good hands with her. She’ll keep you safe.” That last sentence was spoken directly at Satele, but she would have needed to be blind to ignore the pleading in the spy’s eyes.

“The only way anyone’s getting to my grandson is over my cold, dead body,” Satele said, and meant it. “I’ll keep Daenril well protected, Agent Taerich. He’ll be safe with me until he’s able to return home.”

“I hope so, Master Shan.” Reanden sighed quietly. “If it’s not myself or Xaja coming to collect Daenril, it will be one of my sons, or Lana Beniko. At this moment, only Xaja and myself know that you have him. Theron… if he does find you, assume he’s not sanctioned to take Daenril unless the Alliance rescinds the capture order on him- I’ll notify you if that happens. With any luck, he’ll never think to look for you.”

“I understand. Will you keep me informed of any updates?”

“We’ll try, but minimal communication will be the safest for both of you. Reach me on this frequency if it’s an emergency. If you need to disappear, get in contact with Mand’alor the Avenger and tell her that you have the  _ad’ika_ , and need to enact  _ba’slan shev’la_. She’ll know what it means.” Reanden tiredly smirked as Satele felt her eyebrows rise. “Believe it or not, Shae Vizla gets along with my daughter like a house on fire. She’ll hide you both.”

“I’ll take your word for it. Hopefully I won’t need to verify it myself.”

Reanden nodded, then leaned forward to let Daenril grab one of his fingers. “You be good for your grandma, okay? Granddad has to go back and help your mum, but we’ll come for you as soon as we can, little guy. I promise”

“Ahhh- gooo!” Daenril tightened his grip on his grandfather’s finger and looked back and forth between both grandparents in confusion. “Gaaah?”

“Hush, little one.” Satele gently bounced the baby and looked back up as Reanden tried to pry his hand free of the child’s grip. “Rumour has it that you have two other grandchildren through one of your sons, Agent- are they not being hidden as well?”

“They are, safely with their mother’s people. The niece and nephew of the Alliance Commander are high value targets, but not as crippling to her as losing her son would be.” Reanden escaped from Daenril’s hold and stooped to kiss the baby’s forehead. “I have to go now, but Granddad loves you, buddy, and so does your mama… and I hope your dad too. We’ll bring you home as soon as it’s safe.”

For a heartbeat, all three remained silent- Daenril starting to realize that his grandfather was leaving him like his parents had, Reanden giving the child one final heartbroken look as he stepped away, and Satele cuddling the baby closer to her and giving the spy a smile that she hoped was reassuring enough to set the agent’s worries at ease. Then Cipher Nine turned and hurried back to his idling ship, and flinched when Daenril wailed in dismay. “Shhh, dear one,” Satele murmured as she stepped back toward the shelter of her own ship, watching the agent’s vessel rise from the ground and vanish again into the atmosphere, presumably returning to Odessen. “Shhh. You’re all right with me.” She’d been on a few early-childhood recruitment missions before and had met her fair share of devastated children suffering from separation anxiety- that didn’t stop her from sharing in her grandson’s sadness as the last remnant of the life he knew vanished into hyperspace. Instinct had her rocking the baby back and forth and softly humming as he cried into her robes. “There, there… you’re all right. You’re safe with me here. Shhh…”

Daenril’s sobs suddenly ceased as he appeared to fixate on something over Satele’s shoulder. When she turned around, Darth Marr’s ghost was standing a couple of paces back, staring back at the baby. “Hmmm,” the Sith intoned, making Daenril blink in surprise. “He has the strength with the Force of his mother… and if he can see me so clearly at this age, he likely has the same affinity with ghosts as his uncle.”

“And he's not terrified of you. He apparently has the courage of both of his parents,” Satele nodded.

“Agreed.” Marr stepped forward, seeming rather put out by Daenril only staring at him in open curiosity, with no sign of being intimidated. “Do you suppose Cipher Nine would have left him with you if he’d known about my continued presence in your company?”

“I get the feeling that Agent Taerich was desperate to hide him away from Theron. And he’s right- my son would never think to suspect me as being the temporary guardian of his child.” Satele sighed and ran her fingers through Daenril’s auburn locks. “Between the two of us, we should be able to keep him well protected.”

“I hope so. The child of Xaja Taerich will be a strength to be reckoned with when he’s grown, especially if he has his mother’s personality. And that is without taking into consideration Revan’s blood in his veins, and the sheer strength of will his father possesses.” Marr shook his head as Daenril batted a hand at him and babbled incoherently. “This boy could continue his mother’s work to heal the galaxy, or he could destroy it all- he will have the strength to do either.”

 _And I’ll do my best to keep you safe and far away from any path that leads you into destruction and hatred, even if you aren’t raised to be a proper Jedi,_ Satele vowed as she rocked the child.  _You will be safe with me._

* * *

The  _Shadow_  broke through Odessen’s atmosphere and came to a halt on its designated landing pad. Xaja watched her father descend from the ship’s ramp- empty-handed, she noticed, and hurried down to meet him. Arcann lingered a few paces behind her, forever caught in that middle ground between a respectful distance (considering their past history of repeatedly trying to kill each other) and near enough to protect her (as her personal self-appointed bodyguard. In the aftermath of Theron’s defection, he was almost as paranoid of someone else going after the Commander as her kin were, or Lana.).

“Is he…?” she asked as soon as she was within speaking range of the old agent, nervously glancing at the ship again, then back to her father.

“He’s safe,” Reanden confirmed with a tired nod as he wrapped his arms around Xaja’s shoulders and hugged her tightly. “He’s with the caretaker we discussed- they’ve accepted the terms.”

Master Satele had custody of her son. Xaja wasn’t sure still if she was paranoid her former mentor had secret contact with Theron, afraid of losing her son to the Jedi Order, or merely relieved that Daenril was now hidden somewhere that was (supposedly) far out of Theron’s reach. She didn’t want to think that her husband’s reckless actions would endanger their son… but she hadn’t thought that Theron would betray the Alliance or try to kill her either. Better to hide Daenril far away than to risk his life by making him a visible target. “Will he be okay?” she quietly asked into her father’s shoulder.

“I think he’s in good hands.” Reanden stooped to whisper directly into Xaja’s ear, quiet and with his face turned just enough to prevent eavesdroppers and lip-readers. “Satele may not have been the best mother, but I get the feeling she’ll be a good grandmother. She won’t let him come to harm on her watch.”

If Reanden Taerich (who’d spent his entire life learning how to read people so he could make snap decisions based off the potential need to silence someone) believed in someone’s good intentions for a baby he loved, Xaja trusted his judgement. And Satele Shan had never been the type of person to harm a child. “Okay, Dad,” she whispered, and felt her father tighten his hug in response. With her child’s protection arranged, and her niece and nephew hidden with the Mandalorians, she could now focus on hunting Theron down and defending the Alliance without worrying about the children being targets.  _Nobody can find them now… can they?_


End file.
